I don’t like no foolish songs; I like ’em to mean something. Those songs have got to be about something.
Is this interest remix not displaying correctly? | View it in your browser.
Son House circa 1960.
(Tom Copi/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Thursday - February 28, 2019 Thu - 02/28/19
rantnrave:// Short and sweet today, but lots of good reads in the mix below, starting with two takes on improvisatory genius, a half-century apart and not necessarily unrelated, and then a little K-pop, a little STRAVINSKY and a little A TRIBE CALLED QUEST. And more. Always more... TOMMY BOY RECORDS has some splainin' to do and until then, JAY-Z and TIDAL have said "no, thanks" to the upcoming delivery of the DE LA SOUL catalog to streaming outlets... YOLA's "FARAWAY LOOK" is basically a note-for-note cover of a nonexistent midcentury modern country/pop/soul classic, and it's perfect and it announces the arrival of major voice. The rest of the 35-year-old British singer's debut album, WALK THROUGH FIRE, doesn't let that opening track down, and if you want to quibble with DAN AUERBACH's on-the-nose period production, you're welcome to, but you don't have to, really... I vote yes on Olympic breaking... RIP DOROTHY MASUKA.
- Matty Karas, curator
vocalion
theLAnd
Rebirth of the Cool
by Will Schube
The post-Kamasi Washington world has opened a lane for jazz’s next wave of talent. Ryan Porter, Brandon Coleman, Anenon and Sam Wilkes are at the creative forefront of Los Angeles jazz’s rapidly expanding scene.
The New York Times
The Brilliant Uncertainty of the Grateful Dead’s ‘Dark Star’
by Jennifer Finney Boylan
Fifty years ago, the band recorded the most entrancing version of its most hypnotic composition.
Pitchfork
How Rap's SoundCloud Generation Changed the Music Business Forever
by Alphonse Pierre
The recording industry is adjusting to a new social media-dominated era where the artists have all the power. But how did we get here?
The Undefeated
Born out of competition, breakdancing is a natural for the Olympics
by Jesse Washington
Paris wants to include hip-hop’s original dance in the 2024 Games.
Variety
Michael Jackson Estate Scrambles to Control Fallout From Bombshell Documentary
by Michael Schneider
In the decade since Michael Jackson’s death, the late singer’s estate has turned what had been a financial disaster into one of entertainment’s most lucrative properties. But now, the upcoming documentary “Leaving Neverland” threatens to upend all of that -- and the estate is in full-blown damage control mode.
Slate
Michael Jackson's Legacy Shouldn't Survive 'Leaving Neverland.' Here's Why It Will
by Carl Wilson
It’s too late to cancel Michael Jackson.
Paper
The Tech Leader Turning Her Focus to Music
by Tia Long
Shavone.'s unconventional style has already branded her as one of the most memorable women in tech, holding positions at Google, Twitter, Facebook, and most recently as the Head of Global Music & Youth Culture communications at Instagram.
Refinery29
She's Conquered Korea, Now Pop Singer Tiffany Young Is Coming For America
by Natalie Morin
The Girls' Generation star-turned soloist talks about the highs and lows of K-pop stardom and channeling her feelings into her most intimate work yet.
Yahoo! Music
Lady Gaga's Oscar-winning 'Shallow' co-writer Anthony Rossomando opens up about his dark past: 'I was in the mindset of Jackson Maine'
by Lyndsey Parker
This clean-and-sober indie-rocker's success story is even more dramatic than Ally Maine's, but in many ways, it’s a case of life imitating art.
Pitchfork
Why Do New York Disco DJs Love Those Headphones That Look Like an Old-School Telephone?
by Philip Sherburne
Local disco group Escort has the answer!
paramount
Music Think Tank
Is The Proliferation Of Indie Streaming Platforms Hurting Unsigned Artists?
by Ghostly Beard
When major streaming platforms are fighting to build a monopoly on the music business, for unsigned artists the deal is impossibly bad and will continue to be, so it might be argued that this is a clear case for alternative/independent solutions.
Vulture
How Japanese Ambient Music Became a Thing in America
by Andy Beta
New Age music has been proliferating in cool circles for almost a decade now. But much of what was happening musically in Japan in the 1980s was closed off to Westerners, or more precisely, Western hipsters.
The Center for Hip-Hop Advocacy
Legacy Institutions Must Welcome Hip-Hop Into Their Halls
by Manny Faces
Libraries, museums, and universities must include hip-hop culture in their programming in thoughtful, authentic ways.
Rolling Stone
Teddy Pendergrass' Career Was Cut Short. Now It’s Being Reevaluated
by Elias Leight
A new documentary and remix EP examine the life and art of Pendergrass, the Philadelphia soul singer who suffered a debilitating accident in 1982.
The New York Times
21 Savage's Still-Bumpy Path to Freedom
by Jon Caramanica
With the rapper out on bond after he was charged with overstaying his visa, his legal team is underscoring the political dimension to his plight while fighting to keep him in the United States.
The Guardian
Do the Rite thing: how Stravinsky's 'Rite of Spring' changed music for ever
by Gillian Moore
Stravinsky’s savage masterpiece was lauded by jazz musicians, inspired countless film scores -- and made Disney dinosaurs dance. What would music be without it?
Variety
Music's Streaming Gold Rush Is a Global Game: Roll Up
by Nick Jarjour
"We are entering a time where breaking in America is no longer the primary goal or the definitive sign that an artist has made it."
Red Bull Music Academy
'The Ha Dance': How a Controversial Sound Bite Became a Ballroom Classic
by Lakin Starling
Lakin Starling recounts how a controversial sound bite from the 1983 film "Trading Places" became a quintessential vogueing hit.
Rolling Stone
Women on Country Radio: CRS 2019 Sends Mixed Messages
by Marissa R. Moss
Annual gathering of country radio gatekeepers can’t seem to explain gender imbalance on the airwaves.
Longreads
Hanif Abdurraqib on Loving A Tribe Called Quest
by Jonny Auping
“I wasn’t interested in writing the definitive book on A Tribe Called Quest. I was trying to write the definitive book on a single arc of fandom.”
MUSIC OF THE DAY
YouTube
"Death Letter Blues (live)"
Son House
“REDEF is dedicated to my mother, who nurtured and encouraged my interest in everything and slightly regrets the day she taught me to always ask ‘why?’”
@JasonHirschhorn


REDEF, Inc.
NY - LA - EVERYWHERE

redef.com
YOU DON'T GET IT?
Subscribe
Unsubscribe/Manage My Subscription
FOLLOW REDEF ON
© Copyright 2019, The REDEF Group